Thousands came to remember the Sago
miners in Buckhannon (Hur Herald Photo)
The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) report released Wednesday says an abandoned pump cable deep inside the Sago Mine was the likely conduit for lightning that touched off a methane explosion that killed 12 miners in January, 2006.
The report says lightning was one of three "root causes."
This is the first time a conduit for the electrical charge has been mentioned, the report said lightning likely created an electrical arc that traveled along an abandoned and damaged cable.
Several relatives of Sago Mine victims are voicing disappointment in the latest report.
Sara Bailey, whose father George Hamner died in the mine, left yesterday's briefing early, saying she just doesn't trust the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.
The report states gas levels inside the sealed section of the mine where the explosion occurred were not monitored and that seals used to close off that section were not strong enough to withstand the blast.
MSHA issued 32 more violations against the International Coal Group for a total of 149 since the investigation began.
None were found to have caused the accident or contributed to its severity.
Geraldine Bruso, the sister of miner Jerry Groves, says the report is all just theories. She told reporters the families wanted something concrete.
Bruso doesn't blame Mother Nature.
She said it was the rescue, the equipment, the whole breakdown of the system that killed the miners.
Rescuers reached the trapped men 40 hours after the blast.
Randal McCloy was still alive.
Pam Campbell said the report will make a difference only on paper. She believes the same safety issues will come up again.
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